Just Friends
by asliceoftoast
Summary: Jackson and April are friends. Just friends. Unless they're not.
1. Just Friends

**Jackson**

"Come on!" April yelled, "The movie's starting!"

The microwave beeped. I ran over to it, opening the black door to gather the popcorn. Pinching on the corners of the bag lightly, I pulled them apart from each other to break the seal that kept them together. A puff of steam burst onto my hands, my nerves firing rapidly to alert me of the sudden temperature change.

"Shit!" I hissed, dropping the opened container to the counter, waving my hand in the air in an attempt to cool the throbbing limb. "Oh, crap! That hurts." I paused for a moment to examine the pulsing patch of skin. No burns. I reached for a bowl, a second passing before my best friend called for me again.

"Jackson!" April hollered. "What's taking you so long?" With a swift motion, I dumped the hot contents into a large blue container.

I made a mad dash up the stairs and to my best friend's room, being extra careful that none of the popcorn I had just made fell onto the carpeted floor. As I ran through the doorway, I triumphantly announced my arrival. My arms were outstretched, showing the redhead relaxing on the bed the fruits of my effort. April peeked up over her phone, a quizzical look on her face, but she leaned over to grab a steaming kernel.

"Took you long enough," April wore a small smirk on her face as she taunted me. Her eyes glanced at the tiny screen on her phone as she scrolled through Instagram once more before she turned her attention to the TV for the better part of two hours. She flicked off the lights, my vision adjusting to the loss of light. April grabbed the snack bowl, eating each piece one-by-one.

I rolled my eyes in response, settling in the bed next to her. "Shut up," I murmured, earning myself an elbow in the ribs. When I turned to face my best friend in the dark, she simply stuck her tongue out at me.

My gaze dropped to the shine of lip balm on her lips, the urge to lean forward and kiss them rose in my chest before my impulse control kicked in. My eyes snapped back up to meet her darkened hazel stare. The black and white images from the TV flickered, casting dancing shadows on April's alabaster skin.

My heart raced as time seemed to slow. Succumbing to my desires, I slowly leaned forward. April closed her eyes in anticipation, slowly lifting her chin to give me better access. Our lips touched gently, my body moving on its own accord. As I moved to deepen the kiss, a loud commotion from the TV broke our trance. April leaned back as if she was burned, her fingers tracing the edge of her mouth.

Awkwardness settled between us, unacknowledged feelings desperate for our attention nagged at our conscious, but neither of us was willing to address them.

I cleared my throat, her distracted gaze flicking to me. "Popcorn." She stared at me blankly for a moment, processing what I was saying before it finally registered.

"Oh, okay." April placed the ceramic bowl between us, and I reached in, grabbed a handful, and shoved it into my mouth.

Our hands grazed as we simultaneously reached for the snack. April let out a soft squeak and quickly pulled away. "Sorry," she murmured, her eyes refusing to meet mine.

When the popcorn ran out, and there was nothing left to occupy ourselves with, we sat silently in the dark. Our senses were heightened and incredibly aware of each other's presence. I kept my eyes trained on the movie that we were watching, but I couldn't focus on the vintage film with the feeling of April's gaze bore into my skull. I refused the urge to look at her, knowing what would happen if I did.

The shared passion was nothing new. We had started out as acquaintances, people who barely tolerated each other's presence but did so simply because our friends were dating. Then, after a stroke of misfortune that had left me temporarily homeless, she had been the one to take me in.

We had grown to become friends during our time as roommates. I was there waiting for her after a long day at work, and April was the person who helped me get over my last failed relationship.

Somewhere along the lines of becoming each other's person, the definition of our friendship morphed into something unique. The change was minute at first. A meaningful compliment here, a long hug there. Nothing remarkable or noticeable. Then, instead of a glass of water and a peeled and sliced apple waiting for me after a morning run, lust-filled looks from the redhead greeted me. Her eyes always trailed up and down my sweaty toned body, seeing something she wanted but couldn't have. April's ogling did not go unnoticed, but I was busy doing a version of my own. Though she hid her figure in scrubs, her toned body was flaunted by her barely-there sleepwear. She had caught me a couple of times, but instead of scolding me like I assumed she would, she started wearing tighter clothing leaving nothing to my imagination. The worst part of it all, I could no longer see underwear lines in the skin-tight yoga pants she donned frequently at home.

We weren't subtle about our attraction to one another. Our friends constantly pestered us about the obvious attraction we shared, but we made sure to never act upon our desires as we knew it could ruin our great friendship. We were careful, making sure never to cross that line.

Well, we were until tonight.

Slowly, I was pulled out of my thoughts as the credits began to roll. April was no longer staring a hole into my head but was lost in her own thoughts. Her long, slender fingers repeatedly traced her lips, like she was stuck on a loop.

Gently, I grasped her wrist, pulling her hand from her face. April's hazel orbs immediately shot up to meet my cerulean stare. I slowly situated myself over her, careful to not place pressure on her. April didn't protest my invasion of her personal space, watching entranced as I moved. I took it as a sign to continue.

"What are you doing?" she rasped. My hand cupped the soft curve of her jaw, thumb drawing soft circles on her cheek.

"This." Repeating what I had done earlier, I leaned down, sealing my lips over hers. Her lips parted, a shy tongue slipping between us. I lowered myself onto her, my hips pinning her down. A soft moan escaped her at the sensation, a sound that made my mind cloud and lose all rationale.

My teeth gently grazing the expanse of her neck, my lips worshiping the soft curve of her jaw, the column of her throat, all the places that I somehow knew were her weak spots. Her nails dug into my shoulders, and my name left her mouth in a breathy sigh.

I lifted up to lay her down. April's delicate hands sneaking up the front of my shirt as a cue to remove it. I gladly obliged.

Her fingers traced the hard lines of my abdomen, each nerve firing rapidly as she traversed back lower to the elastic band of my sweats. She grasped the gray drawstrings and pulled lightly. My eyes shot up to meet hers. The weight of the situation settled in the room as she pushed down the gray sweats covering me.

There was no way we were going to be just friends again.

**A/N**

**Hi! Sorry that I disappeared, but school started, and so did water polo. I've had a pretty busy couple of months cuz I've been in an out of illnesses and injuries combined with the workload of school. I've been reading lots of books that have really taken up a lot of my free time (if you ever need a book rec for anything, hit me up), so finding time to write has been a struggle. I've been hooked on romance novels which is why this is way more scandalous than I normally write, but I'm testing it out. I know I've been neglecting my stories, and I'm sorry. I'm struggling a lot in AP Calc AB, and AP Bio, and literally all my classes, so those are my priorities. I also partially tore a ligament in my elbow, so I'm not doing so hot right now. Let me know how you like this.**


	2. Friends Don't

**April**

I sat perched on the armrest of the worn-down sofa overflowing with drunk seniors. The room was alive; carefree energy coursed through the house. People passed by with classic red solo cups brimming with alcohol.

Parties weren't typically my scene, but tonight was the night before graduation. After this, there were no more drunk frat boys or horribly loud music blaring out of speakers late into the night. There was no harm in letting loose every once in a while.

A tiny brunette forced a cold beer into my hands. "Drink, April!" Reed yelled over the noise of the crowd. "It's a party!" Rolling my eyes at her antics, I took a sip of the golden ale only to be assaulted by the bitterness of the fizzy drink. Trying not to grimace, I dropped the cold bottle onto the nearest countertop.

"Oh no, you don't," my roommate chastised, picking up my abandoned drink. "We are getting you drunk tonight!" Reed plopped down onto the couch, patting the spot next to her. With a little more grace, I took a seat.

"Can you believe we're graduating tomorrow?" The question hung in the air, sobering her playful demeanor.

"Nope." Reed threw back the contents of her drink, the alcohol revitalizing her. She signaled for her boyfriend to refill up her empty cup. "Where did all that time go?"

"I don't know." A bittersweet smile crept to the surface.

Looking over her shoulder and into the crowd, I saw a people I had met within the last four years. Throughout my four years at college, my social circle had expanded in ways I never dreamed of.

Reed sighed, throwing her arm over the seat. "So, what's the plan? I hear that Jackson's being drafted to the NFL." Reed's eyes drifted over to our friend. I followed her gaze, meeting his wild blue ones through the crowd. His signature smirk with a casual flash of his pearly whites melted me. He lifted his beer and winked. Like a dam had opened, my blood rushed to my face. I quickly looked away, praying the dim lights covered my blush.

Before I realized it, Reed grabbed my hand, her jaw almost unhinged.

"YOU'RE FUCKING KIDDING ME!" Her surprise quickly turned into annoyance. "April Kepner! I cannot believe that you did not tell me that you two were a thing." She socked me in the arm, spilling a bit of beer on the couch and my shirt.

"That's because we're not a 'thing'. We're just friends," I quipped, dabbing at the stain on my shirt.

"How come I don't believe you?" she slurred, "Tell me everything."

"Reed, come on. There's nothing to tell." She scoffed, looking back at my best friend who was currently talking to her boyfriend.

"Right," she said with a knowing grin. "Don't think you can get away with this missy. I'll get it out of you one way or another." I pushed myself off of the sofa, dropping my empty bottle into the trash. Reed trailed behind me, yelling over the noise of the crowd. She shut the door of the bathroom, spinning to face me, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

I sighed, "What are you doing?"

A shady smirk flashed across my roommate's face. Reed giggled to herself as she rambled on about Jackson. Standing in front of the mirror, I wet a paper towel and pat my shirt. The fabric spotted a shade darker, but the yellow stain lifted. Tossing the towel away, scrutinized my image, scrunching my hair, and tugging my lace cami down to reveal the tiniest scrap of skin. I gently swiped at my smudged mascara, giving up before I made it worse. After applying a decent coat of lip gloss, I flashed the mirror a smile. "...I never thought that you had it in you, Red. I guess you're not the prude you make yourself out to be." I spun around, my hands planted firmly on my roommate's shoulders.

"Reed. Jackson and I are just friends."

"Sure," she replied skeptically. "There's a river in Egypt called denial, and you're swimming in it." Her phone buzzed in her pocket, Charles' picture flashing on the screen. "Oops! I got to take this." She placed the phone to her ear, glaring at me with as stern of a look as she could manage in her happy drunk state. "Don't think that we're done with this," she yelled behind her as she walked away.

While her boyfriend stole her attention for the moment, I shot a text to Jackson, smiling when he replied right away.

_You want to get out of this place?_

I walked back to the heart of the party, scanning the crowd for him. In an instant, he was by my side. His hand slipped into mine, leading me out the door.

My phone buzzed with a text.

_Dw. I won't be by the apartment tonight. Have fun n use protection! ;P_

I glanced over my shoulder to see my roommate smirking down at me from the balcony. She gave me a quick wave before disappearing back into the house.

Jackson chucked at Reed's antics, asking, "What does she know about us?"

He opened the car door, and I slipped in. "She thinks we're an item, but I told her that we're just friends." Jackson gripped the wheel tight but kept his shoulders relaxed.

The noise of the music faded, replaced by the hum of the car engine. Looking out the window, the streetlights slowly passed by as Jackson drove. He took a turn, taking an extra street before turning onto mine.

He parked the car, muscles flexing as he moved the clutch into park. His hand rested on my thigh, gently tracing the inseam of my jeans. Everything he seemed to be doing lately, the slightest touch, or accidental glance, sent shivers up my spine.

His car keys tinkled as he twirled them in his fingers.

"I guess I should go now..." I mumbled, awkwardly pointing behind me. He walked me to my door, watching silently as I unlocked it. The words were at the tip of my tongue, but I just couldn't seem to ask him to stay.

His soft smile stiffened. The disappointment radiated off him in waves, but I still leaned in for one last hug. Under the moonlight and faded yellow glow of streetlights, neither one of us could seem to let go. I pushed away with a feeble grin, turning and closing through the door.

I slumped against painted wood, my heart pounding against my ribcage like it was trying to break free. Maybe Reed was right, and we were more than friends. In a split second, I opened the door, ready to call out his name, only to see him standing in front of me, his hand poised to knock.

His contagious smirk gave me everything I needed to know.

Jumping into his arms, our lips collided as his hands found my legs, supporting me.

"Friends don't kiss each other," he mumbled, closing the door behind us. Jackson tossed me onto the bed and began to unbutton his shirt. I pushed away his hands, substituting them for mine instead.

"Friends don't take each other's clothes off." I looked up at him, lips pulled into a small smile. My teeth gently bit on my lips, nervous energy coursing through my veins with each passing moment. His pupils widened, as I slowly lowered his zipper. He pulled off his jeans, climbing on top of me working sensually to rid me of my clothes. "Well, then," he whispered after playing a gentle kiss on my hip. "I guess we're not friends."

**A/N**

**Hola chicas. This was named after Maddie and Tae's song. Check them out! I'm sorry for not being as active as I'd hoped, but I totally underestimated how much college apps would drain my will to live. I really hope that my college admissions officers never find this. If they do I would die. With everything that's going on in the world rn, especially the US, I linked a BLM carrd in my bio. It has information on petitions to sign, people to call, places to donate, etc. It also has links to information on other pressing issues like the Yemen crisis and the Hong Kong protests. I hope you guys check that out. If you want to have discussions about what's happening, I will try my best to respond in a timely manner as long as everything is respectful of course. I am not a perfect source. I am not Black, so I can not speak for them. I am educating myself to the best of my abilities on these issues. Obviously, I'm not going to tell you my whole life story because as much as I want internet friends, I do enjoy my privacy. I do feel like I do have some platform even if I'm not like an Instagram star with millions of followers, I'm just trying to do my part. I will not tolerate any racist or degrading comments here and if you have an issue with that, you are free to leave. Moving on, we're still in the middle of a pandemic, so stay safe! Wash your hands and wear your masks! I'll see you next time. **


End file.
